As the Moody Blues eye the impending 50th anniversary of their landmark 1967 album Days of Future Passed, bassist John Lodge is entertaining thoughts of a special celebration.

Though he's still somewhat cagey regarding details, Lodge told ABC News Radio that he'd love to welcome former members Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder back into the fold for the occasion — though there are some logistical wrinkles that need to be worked out first.

Neither Thomas, who left the lineup in 2002, or Pinder, who exited in 1978, appear to be interested in a full-time return to active duty, which complicates things for Lodge and his fellow Moodies leader, Justin Hayward; as he put it, whatever they do with the duo will entail "finding a way of doing it without them having to tour."

"If it works, I think it will be fantastic because it'll work because it's a natural thing to do," pointed out Lodge. "I'm not trying to force it to work. It'll be because it's supposed to be."

While they've been out of the band for some time, Pinder and Thomas remain very much a part of Lodge's musical thoughts — they guest on his upcoming solo effort 10,000 Light Years Ago — as well as his personal life. "They've been an integral part of my life and you can't dismiss that," he explained. "You know, it's locked in there. It's part of the gene."

The Moody Blues, who were inducted into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame late last year, are currently in the middle of a North American tour.

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